This is an exciting opportunity, not simply to enter, but to read all the other writer’s First Chapters and think about how important it is to begin a story well in just under 5000 carefully chosen and constantly evaluated words.

Then there is the Pitch-the 100 word pitch. In such a small space, the concept, plot, conflict, characters and setting need to be outlined with as much pulling power as possible to convince the reader that this book is well worth the effort of at least reading the first chapter.

If it fits your ideal of a Romance between a wonderful guy and a gal finding her feet after adversity, then I hope you will visit the sytycw website and vote for HIDDEN TRUTHS, OPEN HEARTS – just one amongst all the amazing stories there.

Voting begins on October 2 to 10 – with ONE VOTE per DAY allowable.

So for the continued high regard and success of this global competition, please visit ^^ read the stories and don’t forget to VOTE.

Well, I’m sneaking back in on tippy toes after a more lengthy absence than anticipated, but “la vie en Rose” it certainly was and our Hero made it eight-in-a-row. Well worth the effort to be there…

So, back on the Gold Coast, still savouring the aftermath of the wonderful Romance Writers Conference here last week. Pure Gold, in so much as what was presented, what was learned and what can be done to enhance one’s WIP.

Alex Sokoloff’s workshop on the Friday thrilled us with her Screenwriting Tricks for Authors and set the tone for the entire event – it was fabulous – as were without exception, our keynote speaker, Eloisa James and presenting Authors of the sessions I was lucky enough to attend.

The Author Cafe morning teas and brief lunch breaks with, in my case, Barbara Hannay and Fiona Lowe gave us the chance to ask one on one, questions dear to our hearts.

New friends made and existing friendships reinforced – it truly was a Conference worth it’s weight in Gold. Thank you, Romance Writers of Australia, RWA and all of our sponsors and supporters who participated fully and really were part of the Conference. Thank you.

It’s a beautiful morning – as they say here with no modesty whatsoever, “Beautiful one day, perfect the next.”

Colourful parrots are squawking in the garden as I head for the beach with my coffee and “someone’s baby” from my to-be-read pile.

The latest “Tallest … since…” is near completion and I must say it is a pretty building.

It’s hot and I walk along the fore shore rather than the beach – there are shady trees further down. But what’s this?

“Pirates in Paradise?”

It’s the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships for 2012 and they are busy shaping, others contemplating, these works of art as the Pirate theme emerges from the sand. They are huge, amazingly beautiful and delicately carved. One of the artists wears a pirate scarf knotted under his hair at the back and with the seas behind him really fits in.

But I think I know where the treasure is buried. I had an indicator of it in January and at the time almost bobbled my latte. The most beautiful rainbow stretched across Surfers Paradise and so high up in the sky. It took my breath away.

Where does it end?

Perhaps I’ll follow these Meter Maids as they weave their way through the crowds – clad in gold lame and sequined bikinis, do they know the way or are they merely on hand to save someone’s day from the dreaded parking inspectors.

… and what would I find in that pot?

Well, heaps of the character outlines I’ve wished for and their POVs on everything. A few pirates amongst them, in nature if not in clothing apparel, and perhaps a Call for one of my “babies.”

Now finding that fabled pot would make my tomorrow “perfect.”

The Australian Sand Sculpting Championships are coordinated by Sandstorm Events : www.sandstorm.com.au

Fourteen days into the New Year and all’s well. Of course it is – it’s summer Downunder. It’s early in the morning but the beach is alive. On the water, surfers are making the most of some impressive waves. .

Heroes

On the sands and promenade, joggers, power walkers and families with kids – most with balloons from a membership drive for the local footy team, participate in the goings on.

Ouch, creative cropping - sorry mate

By the way, “Go the Gold Coast Suns” and thanks for the fantastic greeting.

.

Tigermoth in full flight

A Tigermoth with sightseers didn’t waste any time this morning and two beautiful greyhounds have just loped languidly past.

… and Heroes, well Whitey and the blokes have just zipped past on their state of the art bicycles…

Whitey and the blokes

More heroes

…and the AFL football players have taken up where the Magic Millions thoroughbreds left off during the week – sprinting down the beach to the delight of beach goers. .

Down south, the Australian Open Tennis is about to start in Melbourne while the Cricket and the A-League soccer, the tip of a sporting iceberg down here at the moment, are in full flight.

The buzz of expectation is palpable so it’s hard not to be caught up in the excitement.

Having a rest now

Yet, for me so far in 2012 – I can say definitively, there’s not much happening as I await the Call/rejection letter for my first manuscript with ever decreasing length of fingernails. I’m trying to smile and be communicative. 🙂

Surfing

That said, trying to use my time judiciously, dividing it between books #2 – (nearly done) and #3 – (outlined), plus read everyone else’s wonderful blogs and websites while I wait , is really hard.

The more you read, the less you write but still one needs to keep up and continuously enhance one’s knowledge.

Living in the heart of Surfers, within the current Schoolies bubble, I have to say firstly the behaviour this year so far, is excellent. They’re kids and they’re having fun.

Speaking of kids, and kids will inevitably evolve into Heroes and heroines in their own right, I thought I’d like to share the experience of being a Tennis Fan site moderator and having the good fortune to watch a sporting Hero evolve.

It began in 2004 when I took my daughter to Melbourne Park for the Australian Open Tennis and we watched a match on an outside court. The fascinating thing was not so much the match; I’m not even sure exactly who was playing except that the game was being watched by a group of Spanish speaking players and coaches including one excitable young teenager who kept clattering about swapping seats and rows, laughing and having a great time.

After about twenty minutes of this, I looked at him, squarely in the eye – he was now two seats away in the same row – and said something along the line of, “For goodness sake, please sit still,” and obviously had a frown on my face to accompany the request.

A “Mum” showing displeasure was too much for the lad and he apologised, with a sweet smile and sat still, almost still, for the rest of the match. I didn’t speak Spanish and he didn’t speak English, but he knew exactly what the problem was.

That night, to my absolute surprise, Lleyton Hewitt played a Round Three match on Centre Court and who was his opponent? Yes, it was seventeen year old Rafael Nadal no less. He put up a great fight and was applauded with a standing ovation by most of the crowd who had enjoyed the match so much, they forgot to be parochial. 🙂

Being one of his early fans who had actually told him off and asked him to sit still, got me hooked and I began to follow his progress as the tournaments took him far and wide around the globe.

Having a professional sports person in the family, although not in tennis, I felt I had an insider’s POV and understood much of the coaching, training and assorted difficulties a young sportsman faced. After posting comments on the original site usually regarding all of the above, I was asked to help moderate and am still at it.

It’s been a joy and many of the guys and gals have rallied to travel to the various venues over the years, meet each other, get an autograph and cheer our Hero on. The last few years, some from overseas have made it to the Aussie Open and next year I am going to Monte Carlo, joining fellow members from all over Europe, together with some Americans and Canadians…and me.

It has been an interesting journey, firstly being lucky enough to watch someone develop into a world class player – and all this from a little kid with a gorgeous smile who nearly drove me mad.

So I look at the Schoolies and try to imagine how they will evolve. What will they choose to do and will I cross paths with any of them again. Who knows, one may well be my Doctor in ten years time, so I am generous with my smiles.

With Schoolies about to begin here on the Gold Coast – for those abroad, it’s the end of school celebrations for senior school leavers – I was thinking this week, that I feel a bit like that.

They’re celebrating a definitive end to childhood, and an entry into the adult world. For me, read published Author, but we are all brimming with great ideas, enormous hope and vitality for the road ahead, awareness of some of the pitfalls, we’re ready to participate, even hold back a little or take that giant step – all of it.

So that’s me, a teenager in the field of creative writing – an unpublished author, suspended in a time warp. However, with my childhood a fairly distant echo, I’m finding other skills gained at great expense and time like my golf handicap; add frustration-carefully managed to the mix; 😉 and fluctuating on the cusp of A-grade, opened up the world of competitive sport. Even if I largely avoid this rich seam of Heroes and heroines in my stories, it’s a learning experience on how quite a large group among us these days think and carryover these thought processes to other aspects of their lives.

Experiences of all kinds and the time to consider them in this fast-paced world are gifts too few of us get the chance to enjoy fully. I’m hoping my Heroes and heroines take every advantage of mine.

Welcome to wendyleslie‘s blog. This year has been a revelation for this writer – with a Romance Writers Conference and a first novel under her belt, many new and enthusiastic friends, fresh ideas and a nerve wracking few months ahead awaiting “The Call.”

As a Medical Science professional, the switch to creative writing has been as dramatic as the change from technically inspired passive voice to the active dynamism of real life characters with Goals, Motivation and loads of Conflict.

The unstinting help and genuine advice given both in person and online by my fellow devotees to this writing genre has been phenomenal. My aim for this blog is to progressively add information that has been helpful to me and to encourage others to join in the fun and write.

—ooOoo—

It’s been a week and with baby steps, I’ve added more information to my Dashboard and am enjoying the discovery process. I find deletion of mistakes, whilst a good learning process, most difficult when remnants remain and refuse to go away. Never mind, my heroines find a way and I will too.

Speaking of heroines, my second lady is currently helping me put her story – just as she wants it, on the page. It could be construed as interference but I like the feel of a team effort. As long as the Hero stays where he is designated, all will be well.

I’ve spent the last week getting used to the stream of Twitter notifications arriving in my email inbox. For those who are ‘following me’ at the moment, stick with me. I’m reading them all with great interest and following links to everyone’s blog or website.